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Windows to Linux: Value of Dual-booting

Since this is Linux site, I assume that the Windows users (of which I am one and have been since Windows 3.0) are interested in the LInux operating system as well. I have now begun to help my clients move from Windows to Linux via the very nicely capable "dual-boot" process that Linux supports in the LiveCD installation methods.

I carry with me a CD, DVD, and USB with various Linux installations so when I arrive at a potential Linux user's desktop, I can show them the advantages of Linux without disturbing their Windows installation at all. When they use Linux for a couple of hours, days, or week, I usually get a call to take the next step which is the "dual-boot" option.

They are hooked at this point. Linux has finally arrived, in my humble opinion, to a point of maturity that it can finally compete with Windows 7 given the significant hardware requirements of Win7. I have installed Linux distros on machines sporting only 486, 256Mb RAM, and 3 GBytes HDD space. I call this "Windows Recycling."

Will be back often. Good luck, all.

Paul Nanouk (nanouk)
UCB/BSD ancillary development member from the late 1970' early 1980's at UC Berkeley. ;-)

One thing that Linux has shown me, and confirmed by you, is that we should develop a sense of "recycling" when it comes to items such as PC. PC's usually have quite toxic components, and putting them to good use is a great way of avoiding putting them in the dump. I am quite the hardware hoarder (which I assume most Linux people are), and am happy that I am able to put some of that old stuff to use, most recently to become a competant web server project.

I 'recycle' old computers by cleaning them up, replacing broken or worn parts, install Linux, then donate them to people that need them. I have been going with Ubuntu lately, usually I delete everything that I don't think they will need. Basically I tell people that the computer will ONLY do, web browsing, email, and basic document stuff (OO.org Writer and Calc). I tell them, don't try installing anything, it just won't work. THey have the basic games, and that keeps pretty much everyone happy. I let them know, if something messes up with the base config I will fix it, if they tried something outside of what I told them they could do and now the system is all screwed up (rare, and pretty hard to do, but they keep making better dummies) I am going to charge them to come and fix the computer. I can tell pretty quick what they tried to do.

The setup works really well. I have only run into problems when the people try to experiment (read: let their kids play on the 'puter)

lol that's a good idea Jro. I'm outta PC cases, but have plenty of motherboards hanging around (with ram, cpu, etc) that I should turn into PC's and donate them to charity or something like that. Not a bad way to actually promote free open source software either!